Do You Really Need A Flour Coating To Fry Pork Chops?

Pork is the most eaten meat in the world, making up 36% of the globe's consumption (via the USDA). There are several different cuts of pork, including shoulder, ham, and bacon. And while all types of pork are loved by many, the most popular type is the pork chop, per Healthline. Pork chops make a fairly healthy meal, as they are a great source of protein and provide a variety of nutrients, including zinc, iron, and potassium, but their mild, slightly sweet flavor is key to their popularity.

Although they're delicious in their own right, pork chops absorb flavor extremely well, so they are often cooked with a variety of spices and herbs, including rosemary, garlic, sage, and thyme, per The Gardener, to make them even more delicious. 

Frying is a popular way to cook pork chops, and it's common to add a flour coating to these cuts of meat before placing them in a skillet. But is it necessary to coat pork chops in flour before frying them?

Adding flour to any type of meat is beneficial if you're planning to make a gravy, as flour helps thicken up gravy and sauces, per The Guardian. A flour coating also gives pork chops and other meats a delicious, crispy crust and an enhanced flavor. Despite these benefits, however, breading pork chops in flour before frying is not necessary. According to Food Network, if you're not interested in frying pork chops using flour, you can simply season them using spices and herbs of your choice, preheat a skillet and add oil once it's hot, and sear the pork chops in the skillet. Though your fried pork chops won't have a crispy flour coating, they will absorb the flavor of the spices and herbs you seasoned them with, resulting in a delicious dish.

If you do want to bread your pork chops before frying them, consider dipping them in a beaten egg after coating them in flour, reports Better Homes and Gardens. Submerging the meat in a beaten egg will allow the flour coating to adhere to the pork chops more effectively, ensuring that it doesn't come off while frying. This method also works well for other meats, including chicken and fish.

In addition to frying, people often grill and bake pork chops. So, which method is the best? Well, the answer to this question depends on a few factors, including how quickly you need to cook the pork chops, how many people you're serving, and how much you prioritize tenderness. According to BBC Good Food, frying is the fastest way to cook pork chops. So, if you're trying to make a quick dinner, stick with this method. However, because pork chops are usually pretty large, it's best if you pan fry them when you're only serving a few people.

If you are serving a large number of people, consider grilling, which will allow you to cook multiple chops at once. Grilling also infuses pork with a tasty, smoky flavor, but it's a method you should be careful with. Pork chops are a lean meat, and this means they can be easy to overcook on the grill, which results in a less than tender piece of meat (via Williams Sonoma). 

While frying is fast and grilling allows you to cook multiple pork chops at once, baking is arguably the easiest method, as it simply involves placing the chops in the oven for about 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, per the National Pork Board.